1. How did you first become acquainted with the Church of
Scientology?

Personality Test. I sent in a business reply card that came with the Dianetics Book I had bought which suggested to mail the card with name and address for more information about Dianetics. I was later phoned by someone at CC Dallas and invited to go in for a free personality test.

2. What initially appealed to you about scientology?

Dianetics. I was amazed by the claims, and apparent scientific nature of the theories and development of the 'science of mind.' I wanted to see for myself if it really worked.

3. Were there problems in your life that you thought
scientology would address?

I had alot of anxiety which I thought may, as Dianetics claims, be caused by 'engrams.' I also thought, if Dianetics' claims were true, it could help me with ANY problems I may have had then or in the future. It leads one to believe it to be a 'Cure-all' of sorts.

4. Did you see, experience, or hear about things that didn't
seem right while you were in the Church of Scientology? What were
they, and what convinced you to set aside your feelings?

Poor living conditions definitely. While in the Sea Org, I was sent, along with another Sea Org girl of about age 10, to get a staff member who had not shown up to muster. She lived in a dump of an apartment complex called the 'anthony building' or something of the sort. I'm sure som ex-scientologists can give details about that place. This was 1996, it looked like it should be condemned.

5. Why did you choose to stay in the Church of
Scientology?

I believed in the 'Bridge.' I came to dislike and even mistrust the church, but I believed the tech was real and it was the only path to spiritial freedom. It was like a huge 'bribe' the church used to get me to part with cash, max out credit cards, do whatever for the promise of the 'cheese' at the end of the maze, which was total freedom and full power on all dynamics.

6. Were you staff or public? If staff, was it at a mission or
an org? Were you ever in the Sea Org or OSA? Which unit? If not on
staff, did you ever volunteer to 'help out'?

I was public at Celebrity Centre Dallas for a few years, then became staff there briefly as an HCO Expeditor, then I joined the Sea Org and was MAA of Asho Foundation.

7. Why did you leave the Church of Scientology? Was there a
"final straw"?

As I noted in an earlier question, there was nothing I wanted more that to go up the 'Bridge.' Everything else I did in and for the Church was toward that goal, and also the desire and opportunity to help others do the same. My frustration with how I was being treated in the Sea Org, the lack of any free time, the imposible demands, the horribly rude way other staff spoke to me and to others, made it essential for me to just leave before I lost my sanity. I was planning to somehow go up the Bridge despite all that later, but I feared losing my mind and getting sent to the RPF or worse, so I left voluntarily and with adherence to Church policy.

8. Do you think the Church of Scientology needs to change some
of its practices? If so, what should be changed? How did those
practices affect your life?

Yes. First, it's meterials and services are unbelievably overpriced, and it's staff overworked and underpaid. There needs to be some work in that area to make it fair and reasonable. The Church also needs to be honest (I won't hold my breath for that to happen) about what gains can really be expected in each process, cource, or level on the Bridge. Many probably keep paying and borrowing their way further up the Bridge thinking that the next level will make it all worth it.

9. If the items you listed in the previous question were
changed, would you consider rejoining or staying in the Church of
Scientology? If so, why?

No. I've since looked for studies, or some proof of Hubbard's original claims in Dianetics, and find them to be utter falsehoods. He had nothing to back up his claims, and his claims that he had some 200 plus 'Clears' at the writing of Dianetics who invariably had the attributes of Clear had to have been a deliberate lie, and so Hubbard was just another 'snake oil' salesman.

10. Any additional comments you would like to make?

If I can help prevent even one person from going through the pain, frustration, and expense I went through trying to get up the Bridge that leads to nowhere, I will feel that my dreadful experiences in Scientology were not in vain.